Expression of c-myc oncoprotein represents a new prognostic marker in cutaneous melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Overexpression of the c-myc oncoprotein has been observed to be of prognostic significance in several human cancers. This study was undertaken to establish whether c-myc has any prognostic significance in melanoma.


METHODS
Expression of c-myc oncoprotein was studied in a prospective series of primary and secondary malignant melanomas. Ethanol-fixed tissue was digested into nuclei and stained for flow cytometric analysis using a pan-myc antibody.


RESULTS
Overexpression of the c-myc oncoprotein was prevalent in both disease stages. In primary disease, overexpression was associated with tumour thickness and with the presence of ulceration, age and reduced disease-free interval. Of most importance, high expression of c-myc predicted poor outcome in both primary and metastatic disease. In addition, c-myc was able to discriminate prognosis in melanomas uniformly stratified as thick (greater than 3 mm) lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate an important role for c-myc in melanoma which may lead to better prognostic information and identification of new therapeutic strategies.
Ross
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DA
Restoration of Appearance and Function Trust, Institute of Research in Plastic Surgery, Northwood, UK.
Wilson
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GD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc